Telegeaphic apparatus



(No Model.)

. 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. I A. HEIL. TBLEGRAPHIO APPARATUS.

Patented Aug. 15, 1893.

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A. HBIL. TELEGRAPHIG APPARATUS.

Patented Aug. 15,1893.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBRECHT HEIL, OF FRANKISCH CRUMBAOH, GERMANY.

TELEGRAPHIC APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 503,372, dated August 15, 1893.

Application filed February 13,1893. Serial No. 462,198. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBRECHT HEIL, a subject of the Grand Duke of Hesse, residing at Frz'tnkisch Orumbach, in the Grand Duchy of Hesse, German Empire, have invented new and useful Improvements in Telegraphic Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in telegraph apparatus of that class commonly called registers, and it consists essentially in substituting for the spring motor or clock movement heretofore employed for uniformly advancing the tape, a simple device which is actuated by the current serving to transmit the message. I

The nature of my said invention will best be understood when described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 3 isa side elevation illustratinga modified form for the marking device. Fig. i is a side elevation of a modified form.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

The paper tape is led over guide rollers Z), a and a pressure roller f as illustrated in Fig. 1. Motion is imparted to the tape by the feed roller 0 arranged upon the same shaft with a fly wheel S. The roll f is pressed by a spring it against the roller 0. The shaft 0 carries, beside the fly wheel S and the roller 0 a ratchet wheel 4", adapted to be engaged and turned by a tappet m to impart motion to the shaft 6. This tappet m is movable on the end of the horizontal arm of a bent lever H. The tappet is subjected to the action of a spring B and its position can be adjusted 'by a screw M to cause it to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel a" in the most favorable manner. At some distance from the tappet m, but on the same side of the fulcrum of the lever is disposed a second tappet n firmly secured to the lever. This tappet n has for its purpose to actuate the writing or marking device by acting on a spring 0 projecting from a rock-shaft 25 (Fig. 2) and thereby oscillating the latter. To the end of the shaft 15 is secured in any suitable manner, as by the arm L, an ink roller d, or in lieu thereof a pencil, style, or equivalent marking device.

The lever H is fastened to a shaft .9 which is supported in a brass frame w secured to an electro-magnet E. In front of this frame is arranged a plate A fixed to the shorter or vertical arm of the lever H and serving as an armature. The extent of the vibratory motion of the armature is limited by suitable set screws F F.

In the accompanying drawings the several parts of the register are shown in their normal positions.

When the current flows through the electromagnet E, the armature A is attracted toward the frame 10; the horizontal arm of the lever H is raised and the tappets m and n are removed from the ratchet wheel 0" and the spring 0 respectively. WVhen the current is broken, the armature A is released, the lever H turns downward, and causes the tappet m to engage the ratchet wheel a, revolving thereby the shaft e, the fly wheel S, the roller 0 and advancing the tape. The tappet n at the same time engages the spring 0, and presses the same downward, thereby raising the ink roller, or the pencil, &c., against the tape on the lower side of the roller f. As soon as the electro-magnet is again vitalized, the armature A is again attracted and lever H and tappets m, n are raised; in consequence whereof the ink roller is lowered, whilethe tape owing to the momentum of the fly wheel S continues for a short time its forward. motion. It is obvious that for receiving a message it is not necessary to first set the apparatus in motion and then to stop the same after the dispatch has been received. The starting as well as the stopping of the apparatus takes place quite automatically, and the several messages are received successively without requiring the presence of a telegraph operator and without increasing the consumption of paper.

The spring 0 is made of finely tempered steel and the portion thereof acted on by the tappet n is brought to the wedge shape shown in Fig. 1, so that the pusher, when it strikes too violently against the said spring, will slide off, and the rollerf is not pressed against the tape with more force than is necessary. In order to prevent any unnecessary consumption of paper when messages pass through the apparatus, the action of the same is stopped by withdrawing a slide 1), which moves the tappet m to the right and throws the latter out of line with the ratchet wheel, while at the same time a pin J is pushed under the base of the spring B, so that the pusher it cannot engage the spring 0. By this means the ink roller, when the message is not to be received by the instrument, does not touch the tape, as is the case in some other apparatus which has heretofore been employed.

In combination with the above described apparatus, the marking device shown in Fig. 3 may advantageously be substituted for the ink roller.

To the rock-shaft t is secured a bent metal band 7.; carrying an obliquelyarranged small tube (Z provided with a narrow longitudinal slit, and dipping with its lower end into the ink. The dashes and dots produced there with I find are far more exact and clear than the long and short dashes produced by the roller; moreover it is considerably easier to bring this small tube against the tape than it is to bring the roller against the same.

In comparison with other similar constructions having the same purpose this arrangementoffers the advantage of greatersim plicity, as it consists only of an electro-m agnet with its armature and of two tappets serving to impart motion. Moreover in view of the arrangement and construction of the several parts only a very small amount of poweris required;the consumption of current is therefore very small, while at the same time the simplicity and the absence of any mechanism liable to get out of order insures certainty of action.

The apparatus is put in motion as soon as the key is actuated and it is stopped immediately when telegraphing has ceased, and finally it is capable of receiving without any further attendance a whole series of dispatches, in view of its being automatically thrown into and out of action. After withdrawal of the slide 1), the dispatches pass through the station without being recorded.

As is commonly known there are in use according to the importance of the traffic and the number of dispatches, 850., sent, two systems of working which are quite different from each other in that there is either a continuously working current which is broken by the action of the key (employed in the case of a large traffic) or, in the case of a smaller traffic, the circuit is at rest, and the current necessary for transmitting the dispatch is sent into the circuit only when the key is depressed. For this reason it is obvious that the above described arrangement in its actual construction cannot be employed in both systems.

The arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is constructed so as to be fit for use when the current flows through the circuit continuously;when this is not the case the construction must of course be modified.

Fig. 4 shows an apparatus adapted for the latter system. The difference consists simply in substituting for the bent lever a straight lever H, which is normally held out of contact with the electro-itiagnet E by a spring It. To this lever are attached, as before, tappets m and n. The screw e passing through the lever H, limits the stroke of the latter. For putting the register out of gear a slider) may be used as before, but this slide is not absolutely necessary since the downward motion of the lever can be limited by the screw '0 if the latter is screwed down sufficiently to prevent the tappets m and 7t from coming into contact with the ratchet wheel 0* or the spring 0. The action of this construction is quite similar to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2, notwithstanding the arrangement of the current be inverse for here also the tappets m and 7t when at rest are raised and they are lowered by pressing the key downward. The only difference consists in that in the first construction the lever It is raised by the attraction of the armature A, while in the second arrangement this is done by the spring R; in the first construction the lever H falls down owing to the breaking of the current, while in the second construction the lever H is pulled downward so that the pushers work still more energetically and the consumption of current is still smaller. The arrangement may of course be made also in such a manner, that the frame IV (Fig. 1) is turned through one hundred and eighty degrees and the armature A is placed on the other side of the magnet this excepted the construction of the lever Hi remaining the same as above stated. By this it may be attained also, that, when the magnet is without current, that is to say, when the plate A is not attracted, the lever H and the pushers are raised, as it is necessary for the case illustrated in Fig. 4.

The apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as well as that shown in Fig. 4 can be applied to telegraphic apparatus of any kind; in particular they are fit for Horse telegraphs.

Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same may be performed, I declare that what I claim is 1. In an instrument of the character specitied, the combination of the feed rolls for the tape, a ratchet wheel for the feed rolls, a marking lever adapted to the tape, an electro-magnet adapted to said lever, tappets attached to the lever and disposed to engage respectively with the ratchet wheel and with the marking lever, and a fly wheel mounted on the shaft of one of the feed rolls, substantially as described.

2. In an instrument of the character specified, the combination of the feed rolls for the tape, a ratchet wheel for the feed rolls, a marking lever adapted to the tape, an armature lever, an electro-magnet adapted to said lever, and tappets m and 92 attached to the lever, and disposed to engage respectively with the ratchet wheel and with the marking lever, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In an instrument of the character speci ITO fied, the combination of the feed rolls for the tape, a ratchet Wheel for the feed rolls, a marking lever adapted to the tape, an armature lever, an electro-magnet adapted to said lever, tappets m and n attached to the lever and disposed to engage respectively with the ratchet Wheel and the marking lever, and a slide 1) connected with the tappet m and carrying a pin J for 1imiting the motion of the lever, substantially as described.

4. In an instrument of the character specified, the combination with the feed rolls for the tape and the ink roller, of the bent lever ALBRECHT HEIL.

Witnesses:

JEAN FUCHS, GUSTAV HULSMANN. 

